Theresa May says firing off threats and insults is the bedrock of successful negotiations and so she’ll be a “bloody difficult woman” towards Jean-Claude Juncker during Brexit talks.

Reviving a line used during her leadership campaign, when she didn’t need opponents to like her afterwards, she added “Come on then Juncker, if you think you’re hard enough!”

“When I was a senior advisor in the money shuffling business” said Mrs May “I advised clients to shout across the table as soon as their opposite number entered the room – ideally before they’d taken their coats off.” adding “No, I wasn’t that successful, now you mention it.”

The PM also said she would have “no intention of doing anything other” than serving a full term until 2022 if she wins the 8 June general election, leading to speculation about another election sometime next year.